A gasoline-like odor coming from Grand Central Sanitation has gotten worse over the past month, the engineer for Plainfield Township said during last night's supervisors meeting.

Dave Chismar, of Environmental Design and township landfill inspector, said more than 25 people complained about an offensive odor and some reported smelling it from as far away as two miles.

Efforts are being made to document weather conditions and other barometrical data during the time the smell is reported in order to submit information to the Department of Environmental Resources, Chismar said.

Beginning in January, Richard Rutt, the assistant landfill inspector, began documenting odor violations reported by township residents. At the end of the month the log is submitted to DER, the supervisors, the township engineer and Grand Central Sanitation.

Residents who detect a foul smell may call either the township at 863-9484 or DER at (717) 826-2511. Both numbers are in operation 24 hours a day, and the caller may remain anonymous.

Since the odor intensified, Rutt said he has begun to record the wind direction and speed, relative humidity and other weather data to try to determine what is causing the problem. The odor may also be caused by an increase in gas production on the northern expansion of the landfill, he said.

Any odor detected off the landfill property is a violation under the Solid Waste Management Act, Rutt said.

Rutt, whose job is to verify the odor violations, said there are two odors emanating from the Plainfield Township landfill and they are easily distinguishable. The first smell is of raw garbage that is covered by earth at the end of the workday and is usually not a problem, he said. The second odor is from decomposing garbage that generates gas and resembles black slime.

"If you've ever smelled it, it's a very strong gas odor," he said.

Rutt said he's had reports from callers who have smelled a gas-type odor from as far away as three miles, but he has not been able to verify it.

In other business, Police Chief Joseph Compton requested the formation of a citizens committee to advise him on police matters. "I want to keep the lines of communication open in the community," he said.

Supervisor Chairman Charles Hughes suggested the committee rotate its members so the chief can talk with a variety of people.

Compton asked only that whoever volunteered to serve on the committee have an open mind.

Hughes agreed. "We don't want anyone with a fixed agenda," he said.

Anyone interested in serving on the advisory board is being advised to contact the township secretary.

The supervisors voted to promote two part-time officers to full-time. Fred Benjamin and Greg DeFranco, who were hired in December, will receive a patrolman's salary effective May 1.